The Plainchant of the Byzantine Catholic

Week 4: Prostopinije

Byzantine Catholic Seminary, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Instructor: Jeffrey Mierzejewski Spring 2017 Congregational Singing in Carpatho-Russia

In Carpatho-Russia, in all village churches (both Uniate and Orthodox), congregational singing of all the services in their entirety has been practiced exclusively, including the of the “,” utilizing the full range of tones and melodies. The people chant from the Velikij Sbornik, which contains all the necessary texts… The cantors – the more experienced chanters among the parishioners – who stood on the kleros, began the chanting. As soon as those present recognized the melody, the whole church sang: they sang all the stichera, all the troparia, all the irmoi – in a word, everything that the indicated was to be sung. They sang in unison, and whoever was able added a parallel melody line or improvised a bass line. The impression produced was one of extraordinary power. But the main thing was that those present were not passive listeners, they were not “the public,” but were aware that they themselves assisted at the performance of the divine services.

Ivan Gardner, “Several Observations on Congregational Chanting during the Divine Services” (Orthodox Russia #916, May 28, 1969); available as a booklet from St. John of Kronstadt Press. Carpatho-Rus’

Map from Leonora deCarlo, A Study of the Carpatho-Rusyn Chant Tradition in the Late Eighteenth Century, 1998. Rusyns

Rusyns – a Slavic people living on the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains, and speaking a language closely related to Ukrainian – also called Rusini, Ruthenians Ruthenian – can refer to the Rusyns, but also a term for the liturgical tradition common to the southern Kievan Rus’, as opposed to the “Great Russian” tradition of the modern Russian The religion of the Rusyns

When the ancestors of the Rusyns crossed the Carpathian Mountains from the lands of the Kievan Rus’, they brought with them their religion – Byzantine-Rite , in its Kievan form, in the language, with liturgical books in Cyrillic. However, they found themselves in lands ruled by the Poles, Austrians, and Hungarians – whether Roman Catholic or (in eastern Hungary) Calvinist Protestants. They generally kept their Eastern Christian traditions, but were under constant religious, cultural, and social pressures to conform. Their priests, like the people, were serfs, and had few opportunities for education. We do hear from early times, however, that their services were sung – at least by the priest and . We know this in part because records indicate that the priest sometimes took over the role of cantor as well, if a qualified cantor could not be found. Due to the Mongols, and later to animosity between the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires, the Rusyns had no real ties with Moscow. Instead, they continued to look to the southern Slavs and to Constantinople, with bishops going to Moldova and other points south to seek episcopal consecration. The Union

AD 1438 – Union of Florence – Ukrainian churches temporarily in union with Rome 1595 – Union of Brest – the Metropolitan of Kiev and most (not all) of his bishops entered into with Rome, on the condition that they be allowed to keep their liturgical observances and custom unchanged 1646 – Union of Uzhorod – sixty-three Rusyn priests made a profession of Catholic faith in the castle of Uzhorod. 1700 – The bishop of L’viv joins the union; the L’viv brotherhood of the Dormition of the Mother of God became Greek Catholic in 1708, along with most of the brotherhoods in Galicia 1771 – The eparchy of Mukachevo is officially established – becomes an important force in preserving Rusyn language and culture 1773 – Synod of Eastern-rite Catholic bishops in Vienna asks the Empress Maria Theresa to give their church the name “Greek Catholic” rather than “Uniate” 1778 – Seminary opens in Uzhorod, and the bishop of Mukachevo moves his residence there shortly thereafter

Rusyns and singing

We know from contemporary accounts that singers from the Kievan region were highly sought after as far as Moscow and Novgorod – and in all likelihood, this culture too was brought with the Rusyns across the Carpathians. Penie – singing Muzikanty – “music”, whether instrumental or instrumental and vocal

From 17th and 18th century manuscripts, we can see that the Rusyns used liturgical chant in the Kievan form of znammeny singing, collected into irmologia – books containing chants of all types for the liturgical services.

We also have collections of paraliturgical songs and hymns from the same era.

This music reached a settled form in the tradition called prostopinije or plain-singing. Prostopinije

Prostopinije (“plain singing”) – the traditional congregational plainchant of the Rusyn people Based on the Kievan version of znammeny chant - with the addition of some melodies borrowed From neighboring regions - adapted to local musical preferences - a mixed oral and written tradition Closely connected with the chant tradition we discussed last week Related to, but distinct from, the form of singing used in neighboring Galicia to the north and west

Sister Joan Roccasalvo, Plainchant Tradition of Southwestern Rus’, 1986 Prostopinije

Customary melodies Melodies in the Eight Tones intonation melodies for blessings and prayers psalmody in the eight tones: melodies for Scripture reading melodies for stichera Samohlasen melodies melodies for simple responses “Bulgarian” melodies litany responses Special melodies (podobny) psalm tones melodies for prokeimena and melodies for particular melodies for antiphons hymns in the eight tones: melodies for the fixed parts of: melodies for troparia, kontakia, and sessional hymns Great melodies for gradual hymns Divine melodies for irmosy special feast-day hymns Part I: Customary melodies Intonation melodies

• Used for the priest’s blessings and audible prayers and exclamations, and for the deacon’s litanies and commands. • Also used as a general-purpose melody for “reading” non-poetic texts in church. • Hardly ever notated, and varies from person to person. • “Reciting note” on do, sometimes moving down to ti or la. • Ascend to re for emphasis on a particular word; descend to so is used to emphasize the following word, and to mark the approach of the end of the text. • Ending is on do, or (in a few cases, to signal a minor-key response) on la. Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Blessed is our God, always, now and ever and forever. • A more limited form of this same melody is used for Scripture readings, with a stylized beginning (“Thus says the Lord”; “In those days”; “Brothers and sisters”). Melodies for responses

• The people’s responses, usually based on a pitch set by the priest or deacon. Divided into: Simple responses – single phrase sung to a fixed melody Litany responses – sung to a pair of melodies, used in alternation

• The “short amen”

• The “long amen” – most other responses are derived from it

• The “very long amen” Melodies for litany responses

• “Lord, have mercy”, once

… and for the departed:

• “Grant this, O Lord”

• “Lord, have mercy” three times – various melodies, such as:

Melodies for litany responses

• The Lenten tone:

This melody is also used for singing responses and certain hymns at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. Psalm tones

The poetic form of the psalms lead to particular kinds of melodies:

Bless the Lord my soul; Lord my God, how great You are,

clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe. Psalms are divided into verses, and the verses are almost always divided into two (occasionally three) parts. So the melodies called psalm tones are applied to a psalm, verse by verse. Each psalm tone consists of two contrasting melodies, to be used for the first and second parts of each verse. The prostopinije tradition provides a number of different psalm tones. Most are general purpose; a few are associated with particular psalms.

And in certain circumstances, a psalm may be intoned instead of chanted or sung.

 A basic principle of liturgical chant: the music reflects the liturgical setting. The usual psalm tone

First half verse is chanted on do; the second half verse is chanted on re, with a ti – do ending.

The ti is always weak – i.e. not accented:

This melody can be used for any text to be sung by the people – for example, the “ prayers” – as long as they are clearly divided into verses and half-verses. Variations of the usual psalm tone: to switch sides at the half-verse:

half-verse ending on mi:

Prešov variant: Additional psalm tones

The minor psalm tone:

Psalm tone for the departed, also used for Psalm 50:

Psalm tones for the “stations” sung on Matins on Great and . In certain circumstances, melodies from the Eight Tones are also used to chant particular psalms. Melodies for particular psalms

Psalm 1 – “Blessed is the man” – at Vespers on the eves of Sundays and feasts - znammeny chant

Psalm 103 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul” – at Vespers on the eves of Sundays and feasts

Psalms 135/136 – “Praise the name of the Lord” - the – at Matins feastdays and certain Sundays

Psalm 137 – “By the rivers of Babylon” – at Mains on Sundays before the start of the Great Fast

Psalm 140 – “Let my prayer ascend to you like incense” – at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Melodies for particular psalms

Psalms 102 and 145, the “Typical Psalms” – “Bless the Lord, O my soul” and “Praise the Lord, O my soul” – may be sung in place of the first and second antiphons at the

Antiphons

Antiphons - psalm verses sung with a fixed refrain, at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy

There are different antiphon texts for Sundays, weekdays, and feasts of the Lord.

Verse melody (same for each half-verse):

Refrain melody: Hymns of Vespers, Compline and Matins

Fixed hymns of Vespers: The Evening – “O Joyful Light” – one traditional melody Hymn of Glorification – “Make us worthy, O Lord” – one traditional melody Prayer of Simeon – “Now you may dismiss your servant, O Lord” – one traditional melody (and the “Holy God” that follows is sung to the same melody)

Fixed hymn of Great Compline: “God is with us” – two closely related melodies, sung in alternation, after each verse intoned by the priest

Fixed hymn of Matins: The Great Doxology – “Glory to God in the highest” - one traditional melody

Hymns of the Divine Liturgy

Entrance hymn – two traditional melodies (text varies on Sundays, weekdays, and feasts) The – “Holy God” – several traditional melodies “All you who have been baptized” – several traditional melodies “We bow to your cross” – several traditional melodies The Cherubic Hymn – “Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim” – many many traditional melodies – often derived from paraliturgical hymn tunes The Symbol of Faith, or Creed – recited, or several traditional recitative melodies The Hymn of Victory – “Holy, holy, holy” – several traditional melodies “We praise you, we bless you” – traditional melody; may be the same as the Cherubic Hymn The Lord’s Prayer - “Our Father” – traditional melody, or one from the eight tones Communion Hymn – set to a melody for the Cherubic Hymn “May our mouth be filled with your praise” – traditional melody “Blessed be the name of the Lord” – several traditional melodies, may match the preceding Intonation for the living or the dead – several traditional melodies Hymns of the Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy of Basil the Great (celebrated some ten times a year) has a special set of melodies for certain responses. Since these responses “covered” extended prayers by the priest at this liturgy, the melodies themselves are florid and extended. Certain days also have their own hymns at the evening , replacing the Cherubic Hymn:

Great and Holy Thursday – “Accept me today” – sung to a melody in tone 6

Great and Holy Saturday – “Let all mortal flesh keep silent” – znammeny melody

The Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts, celebrated on weekdays in the Great Fast, makes extensive use of the Lenten melody, and also has a number of special hymns:

Entrance hymn – “Now the powers” – znammeny melody

Thanksgiving hymn – “We give you thanks, O Christ our God” – znammeny melody Part II: Melodies in the Eight Tones Basic principles

The original znammeny melodies were carefully matched to the texts – “Great chant” A simpler form of chant (“Lesser znammeny chant”) allowed for melodies to be re-used. Melodies used only for a particular text – ideomela or samohlasen* Melodies used for a particular text, that served as a model for other texts – automela or samopodoben A samopodoben might have a fixed number of lines or phrases – for example, 5 or 7 or 11 – and every text to be sung to the same melody had to have a matching number of phrases. Other samopoden melodies consisted of: (optional) one or more introductory phrases one or more phrases, repeated in order as needed (optional) one or more concluding phrases The prostopinije singing tradition makes extensive use of these “pattern melodies.” Psalmody in the Eight Tones

Some psalm-singing is outside the system of eight tones, and one of the psalm tones is used. But at other points in the services, psalms and hymns are sung together to melodies in specific tones:

Stichera – psalm verses are followed by hymns

Prokeimena – a fixed refrain is sung, then repeated after each of one or more psalm verses

Alleluia – same as a prokeimenon, but with the refrain, “Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!”

Melodies for stichera

Since the stichera (hymns) are usually much longer than the psalm verses (stichi or pripivy) that they alternate with, the prostopinije tradition uses pairs of melodies: Psalm verse – to a pripiv melody: Bring my soul out of this prison, and then I shall praise your name. (hymn) – to a sticheron melody: Accept our evening prayers, O holy Lord * and grant us forgiveness of sins * For you alone manifested resurrection to the world. Each sticheron is assigned a tone in the liturgical books. The psalm verse is always sung to the tone of the sticheron that follows it. • The pripiv melody consists of a single melodic “line”, and is adapted by the cantor to fit the psalm verse. • The sticheron melody consists of several phrases. • The pripiv and sticheron melodies form a matched pair, which is different in each tone. This matching is what allows the congregation to anticipate the melody of the hymn they are about to sing. The pripiv melody sets the pitch, tonality, and tempo for the sticheron. The samohlasen melodies

In the prostopinije tradition, the ordinary melodies for stichera are called samohlasen melodies. There is a samohlasen melody in each of the eight tones, consisting of a matched pair of a pripiv or verse melody, and a sticheron melody: Tone 1 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 2 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 3 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 4 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 5 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 6 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 7 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) Tone 8 samohlasen (pripiv and sticheron melody) These melodies are used whenever a sticheron is assigned a tone in the liturgical books, without a special melody. (E.g. “Sticheron, tone 1: Accept our evening prayers, O holy Lord…”) The samohlasen melodies became familiar enough that they were sometimes “borrowed” to sing hymn texts as well, especially at the Divine Liturgy. Special melodies for stichera

Sometimes , however, the liturgical books indicate a specific melody to be used. They do this by providing the tone, and the first words (usually in Greek or Slavonic) of the samopodoben whose melody is to be employed: “Hlas 6, podoben: Domu Efratov.” As a result, these are called podoben melodies, or podobny.

Tone Name Original feast Has its own verse melody? Tone 1 Nebesnych činov Sunday evening Joy of the heavenly hierarchies Vespers, Tone 1 Prechvalnyj mučenicy Friday evening All-praiseworthy martyrs Vespers, Tone 1 O divnoje čudo Dormition Vespers O most awesome wonder! (August 15) Tone 2 Domu Efratov Forefeast of Christmas O House of Ephratah Jehda ot dreva Great and Holy Friday, When from the wood Vespers Kijmi pochval'nimy Peter and Paul With what crowns of praise (June 29), Vespers Special melodies for stichera

Tone Name Original feast Has its own verse melody?

Tone 4 Jako dobl’a Saint George (April 23), As one valiant among the martyrs Vespers

Dal jesi znamenie Wednesday Matins, You have given a sign Tone 4 Zvannyj svyše byv Saints Peter and Paul (June 29), Matins

Tone 5 Radujsja živonosnyj Kreste Exaltation of the Holy Yes Rejoice, life-bearing Cross Cross (September 14)

Tone 6 Anhelskija predidite sily Forefeast of the Nativity Go on before, angelic powers (December 20)

Vsju otloživše Saints Cosmas and Having laid up all their hope Damian (November 1) Special melodies for stichera

Tone Name Original feast Has its own verse melody?

Tone 8 O preslavnaho čudese Exaltation of the Holy Yes O what a strange mystery! Cross (September 14)

Chto vi narečem, svjatij? Monday Matins, Tone 8 What shall we call you, O saint?

If a podoben melody does not have its own verse melody, then use the samohlasen verse (pripiv) melody in the same tone. The Bolhar melodies

For certain occasions – the litija procession at Vespers or Compline, and certain hymns in the funeral service – a special set of melodies is used. These melodies are called Bulgarian or Bolhar melodies, through their exact origin is unclear. These melodies are thus used at moments of particularly fervent prayer. In the prostopinije tradition, only certain tones have their own Bolhar melodies. In the other tones, the samohlasen melody is used instead. Tone 1 Bolhar Tone 2 Bolhar --- Tone 4 Bolhar Tone 5 Bolhar Tone 6 Bolhar (only found in a few chant books) --- These melodies are used whenever these tones occur in the Litija hymns, or are assigned in the liturgical books with the Bulgarian melody indicated. (E.g. “Sticheron, tone 1 Bolhar.”) The Tone 2 Bolhar melody is also used for singing certain hymns at the Divine Liturgy. Melodies for prokeimena

Recall that a prokeimenon is a verse of a psalm (very occasionally another text) which is sung as a refrain with psalm verses: Cantor and people sing the prokeimenon Reader chants a psalm verse Cantor and people repeat the prokeimenon Some prokeimena have a single psalm verse; others have a number of verses. The prostopinije tradition provides a prokeimena melody in each of the eight tones: Tone 1 prokeimenon Tone 5 prokeimenon Tone 2 prokeimenon Tone 6 prokeimenon Tone 3 prokeimenon Tone 7 prokeimenon Tone 4 prokeimenon Tone 8 prokeimenon These same melodies are also used to sing Alleluia with psalm verses, in the same way. These melodies are melodically rich, and might be considered “solo” pieces except than (under the guidance of the cantor) they are sung congregationally. They often consist of three musical phrases, reflecting their use for singing a triple Alleluia. Hymns in the Eight Tones

Troparia – this category also includes: kontakia sessional hymns (sedalnij)

Gradual hymns (steppenij)

Irmosy of canons

Hymns of Light (exapostilaria, svitilnij)

Melodies for troparia

Troparia are short hymns sung at a variety of services. The kondakarion chant tradition provided solo melodies for them, but these fell out of the Slavic chant tradition long ago, and were not easily replaced. The prostopinije tradition uses pattern melodies (probably borrowed from the South Slavs): Tone 1 Tone 2 troparion Tone 3 troparion Tone 4 troparion Tone 5 troparion Tone 6 troparion Tone 7 troparion Tone 8 troparion These melodies are used for any troparion which is only marked with a tone: “Tropar’. Hlas 1.” When several troparia are sung in a row, the doxology (Glory… now and ever…) may precede the last one or two troparia, so the tradition also provided melodies for “Glory to the Father…”, “Now and ever….”, and “Glory… now and ever…”. Melodies for kontakia

Like stichera, hymns in the troparion family sometimes are assigned special melodies. Some of these special melodies for kontakia eventually came to be used for all kontakia in the same tone: Tone 3 – originally a podoben for the Nativity Tone 4 kontakion - originally a podoben for Theophany Tone 6 kontakion - originally a podoben for Tone 8 kontakion – originally a podoben for Pascha Kontakia in the remaining tones are sung to the troparion melody for the tone. Like troparion melodies, each kontakion tone has its own melodies for “Glory…”, “Now and ever…”, and “Glory… now and ever.” Melodies for sessional hymns

Other special troparion melodies are used for sessional hymns (sedalnij), which are sung at Matins at the end of sections of the psalms; the name implies that they are sung while sitting. If no special melody is assigned is assigned to a sessional hymn, then the troparion melody of the tone is used.

Tone Name Original feast Has its own verse melody? Tone 1 Hrob Tvoj Sunday Matins, Tone 1

Zeny ko hrobu Sunday Matins, Tone 1

Tone 2 Blahoobraznyj Josif Sunday Matins, Tone 2

Tone 3 Christos ot mertvych Sunday Matins, Tone 3

Tone 4 Udivisja Josif Sunday Matins, Tone 4

Tone 6 Tridneven

Tone 8 Premudrosti Melodies for gradual hymns

These are sets of short troparia which comment on the texts of the gradual psalms (Pss. 119- 133). In Slavonic, they are called steppenij.

Sunday steppena in tone 2, first of three antiphons: I lift the eyes of my heart to the heavens; * I lift them up, O Lord. * Save my by the brightness of your light. O Christ, have mercy on us, * for we have sinned against You at every hour. * Before the end, give us the grace to return to You. Glory…. Now and ever… The Holy Spirit has sovereignty over all creation; * He is the sanctification and movement. * For He is God, of one substance with the Father and the Son.

In the prostopinije tradition, melodies are provided for the gradual hymns in all eight tones, with a slightly different version in Tone 4 for use on feasts.

Melodies for irmosy

Recall that each ode of a consists of : A hymn called the , which is related to a particular Biblical Additional troparia, each preceded by a refrain (in some cases) a final irmos called the – from the same canon or a different one In the prostopinije tradition, the irmosy are sung to their original znammeny melodies; the refrains follow a simple, fixed pattern, and the troparia are either intoned or omitted. The Paschal Canon is a significant exception: in this canon, all the troparia are sung by the congregation, rather than being intoned. Each irmos is assigned a tone, and may be used as part of several different canons. Unlike troparia, the melodies for irmosy are not pattern melodies. They use common melodic material in each tone, but are composed phrase-by-phrase to match the text In other words, each irmos text has its own melody, and must be notated and learned.

Special feast-day hymns

Several special hymns occur on feast-days at Matins: Festal exaltations follow the Polyeleos at feastday Matins, and most share a common melody. A second exaltation or magnification – sometimes more than one – is sung just before the irmos of the 9th ode in some feast-day canons. Most of these also share a common melody. Bulgarian verses follow the festal exaltation; they are specific to the Ruthenian tradition (coming originally from Romania). They also have their own common melody. Hymns of Light (exapostilaria; svitilnij) are read or sung at the end of the canon. A few of these hymns have their own melodies: Christmas – Positil ny (also sung on Theophany) Dormition – Apostoli Bridegroom Matins – Certoh tvoj Pascha – Plotiju If a svitilen does not have a specify melody, then it is simply intoned.

Congregational Singing in Carpatho-Russia

In Carpatho-Russia, in all village churches (both Uniate and Orthodox), congregational singing of all the services in their entirety has been practiced exclusively, including the hymns of the “proper,” utilizing the full range of tones and melodies. The people chant from the Velikij Sbornik, which contains all the necessary texts… The cantors – the more experienced chanters among the parishioners – who stood on the kleros, began the chanting. As soon as those present recognized the melody, the whole church sang: they sang all the stichera, all the troparia, all the irmosy – in a word, everything that the typikon indicated was to be sung. They sang in unison, and whoever was able added a parallel melody line or improvised a bass line. The impression produced was one of extraordinary power. But the main thing was that those present were not passive listeners, they were not “the public,” but were aware that they themselves assisted at the performance of the divine services.

Ivan Gardner, “Several Observations on Congregational Chanting during the Divine Services” (Orthodox Russia #916, May 28, 1969); available as a booklet from St. John of Kronstadt Press. Further reading

• Roccasalvo, (Sister) Joan L. The Plainchant Tradition of Southwestern Rus’. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986). • Gardner, Ivan von. “Several Observations on Congregational Chanting during the Divine Services.” (Liberty, TN: St. John of Kronstadt Press, n.d.)